Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)

In bringing forward these draconian measures the Government has alienated the most vulnerable section of our society. Those who have reached the autumn years of their lives once had the cushion, the safety and the peace of mind of knowing they could go to a GP in an hour of need, but that luxury is no longer afforded to them. We had lectures last week from the Taoiseach about his republican and egalitarian ideals. What was done and visited upon these people last week was neither republican nor truly egalitarian. It ran counter to anything that is republican or egalitarian.

In the short time I have, I implore the Government to reverse this decision. If the thousands of people who came onto the streets of Dublin today are anything to go by in terms of delivering a short sharp message to the Government, today was the day it happened. The Government must listen to those people who have reached their autumn years and are now worried and full of angst about these measures. If we are truly to be a republic in the purest sense of that word, we must reverse this measure.

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